COURSE INFORMATION
The Christian perspective on death and suffering has always presented a unique theism of a personal God who willing allowed himself to experience suffering and death through the Incarnation of the 2nd Person of the Trinity. The story of Jesus offers the perfect paradigm and example on how Christians should greet suffering and death. This does not mean the Christian is immune from the emotional, psychological, or spiritual pains of suffering, but it does mean via Christ, the ultimate teacher and example, Christians can transform suffering into something greater than mere loss. Through Christ’s death was life, and through a proper understanding of Christian suffering, eternal life and merit can be found and applied to one’s life. This course explores the sufferings of Christ, his saints, and looks at the Christian notion of death and man’s final eschatological end. It sets the foundation for the Christian perspective on Christian grief.
Course Code: GC 600.
Contact hours of continuing education = 35.
This course is specifically designed for those who are studying to meet the education requirements for the Certification in Christian Grief Counseling. This course and program is only OPEN to those who have already attained Certification status as a Certified Grief Counselor in the American Academy of Grief Counseling.
Instructor/Course Author: Mark Moran, M.A., SC-C, GC-C
Link to Resume: Resume
TEXTBOOKS: There is one (1) required textbook for this course.
On Christian Dying: Classic and Contemporary Texts. Edited by Matthew Levering. A Sheed and Ward Book: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 2004. ISBN-0-7425-3465-0
Link to Purchase on Amazon.com: click here
ADDITIONAL READINGS:
There are additional reading assignments for this course. The additional readings are provided for students in the online classroom.
TIME FRAME: You are allotted two years from the date of enrollment, to complete this course. There are no set time-frames, other than the two year allotted time. If you do not complete the course within the two-year time-frame, you will be removed from the course and an “incomplete” will be recorded for you in our records. Also, if you would like to complete the course after this two-year expiration time, you would need to register and pay the course tuition fee again.
GRADING: You must achieve a passing score of at least 70% to complete this course and receive the 35 hours of awarded continuing education credit. There are no letter grades assigned. You will receive notice of your total % score. Those who score below the minimum of 70% will be contacted by AIHCP and will be permitted one more attempt to retake the online examination.
BOARD APPROVALS:
The American Institute of Health Care Professionals Inc: is an Approved Provider for Continuing Education by the South Carolina Professional Counselors, Marriage & Family Therapists and Psycho-Educational Specialists licensing board, Provider # 4637. Access information
The American Institute of Health Care Professionals (The Provider) is approved by the California Board of Registered Nurses, Provider number # CEP 15595 for 35 Contact Hours.
The American Institute of Health Care Professionals, Inc. is an Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the Florida State Board of Nursing Provider # 50-11975.
The American Institute of Health Care Professionals Inc: is a Rule Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the Arkansas Board of Nursing. CE Provider # 50-11975.
The American Institute of Health Care Professionals Inc: is a Rule Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the Georgia Board of Nursing. CE Provider # 50-11975.
The American Institute of Health Care Professionals Inc: is a Rule Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the South Carolina Board of Nursing. CE Provider # 50-11975.
The American Institute of Health Care Professionals Inc: is a Rule Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the West Virginia Board of Examiners for Professional Registered Nurses. CE Provider # 50-11975.
The American Institute of Health Care Professionals Inc: is a Rule Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the Kentucky Board of Nursing CE Provider # 50-11975.
The American Institute of Health Care Professionals Inc: is a Rule Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the New Mexico Board of Nursing. CE Provider # 50-11975.
Course Refund & AIHCP Policies: access here
ONLINE CLASSROOM RESOURCES AND TOOLS
- Examination Access: there is link to take you right to the online examination program where you can print out your examination and work with it. All examinations are formatted as “open book” tests. When you are ready, you can access the exam program at anytime and click in your responses to the questions. Full information is provided in the online classrooms.
- Student Resource Center: there is a link for access to a web page “Student Resource Center.” The Resource Center provides for easy access to all of our policies/procedures and additional information regarding applying for certification. We also have many links to many outside reference sites, such as online libraries that you may freely access.
- Online Evaluation: there is a link in the classroom where you may access the course evaluation. All students completing a course, must, without exception, complete the course evaluation.
- Faculty Access Information: you will have access to your instructor’s online resume/biography, as well as your instructor’s specific contact information.
- Additional Learning Materials: some faculty have prepared additional “readings” and /or brief lecture notes to enhance your experience. All of these are available in the online classrooms.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:
- To understand the unique theism Christianity offers concerning the human condition
- To fully appreciate the sacrifice of Christ in accepting suffering not only for our salvation but also for our example
- To have a fuller appreciation of the tradition of the saints in their personal examples of how they accepted suffering
- To grasp the Christian context of martyrdom
- To theologically comprehend better the eschatology of Christianity concerning death and the afterlife
- To differentiate the necessity of the human body and its resurrection in Christian tradition versus non-Christian traditions
- To utilize various applications of Christian philosophy to Christian clients
- To direct Christian clients to various reading sources of inspiration, guidance, and grace in their times of suffering and grief
- To enhance one’s knowledge of pious Christian traditions that concern themselves with the grief of Christ.
- To mold oneself and one’s client after the image of Christ as the Suffering Servant
- To increase one’s love of the Christian faith and better equip oneself for times of grief.
COURSE CONTENT:
A brief abstract of content:
- Christian Suffering
- Eschatology of Pope John Paul II
- Introduction to “On Christian Dying”
- St. Ignatius of Antioch
- St. Polycarp of Smyrna
- The Martyrs of Gaul
- St. Athanasius
- St. Ambrose
- St. Augustine
- St. Thomas Aquinas
- St. Catherine of Siena
- St. Catherine of Genoa
- St. Thomas Moore, Part I and II
- St. John of the Cross
- St. Francis de Sales
- St. Joseph Cafasso
- John Henry Newman
- St. Therese of Lisieux